Fraser has been LibDem Councillor for the West End on Dundee City Council since 2001 and has topped the poll in all of the five council elections he has contested. He has served as the Council’s Education Convener, Finance Convener and Planning and Transport Convener. Fraser was appointed a Bailie by the City Council in 2017, in recognition of his 16 years of service to constituents.

Following concerns raised by residents about damage to the bus stop on the north side of Hawkhill, east of the Sinderins junction, I raised the concern with the City Council and have received the following feedback from the City Development Department:

"I have asked the contractor to go and check the said bus stop this morning with a view to replacing the perspex. He will also check the issue with the wiring, which I am led to believe is the solar powered wiring from the battery inside the pole. This is not an electrical issue.

I am also hopeful that the new flag replacement will start from next week where all of the flags will be replaced and the numbered tiles will be removed. I have to speak with Trueform today regarding the programme for the flag replacement."

" ... there be a reduction in the number of committees with the merger of the Audit and Risk Management Sub-Committee and the Improvement and Efficiency Sub-Committee into the Scrutiny Committee. These committees have fairly similar remits and it is all overly cumbersome, top-heavy and bureaucratic. In the current financial climate, the council should be streamlining and should be striving for efficiency."

Today's Improvement and Efficiency Sub-Committee had 8 councillors at it, 14 senior council officers and - despite having 5 agenda items to discuss (and my asking more questions than anyone else) - the meeting lasted just short of only 30 minutes.

There has to be a better way - and a merger of the committees I mention above is the obvious solution.

I have received complaints from constituents about the worn white lines/road markings at the West Port roundabout, that is clearly a matter of concern in terms of road safety. I raised the matter with the City Council and have received the following positive response :

"These deficiencies were identified under a road safety audit and work is planned as new works in the next financial year.

The roundabout was re-textured to improve the surface for vehicles. The renewal of road markings will be complemented by new anti skid surfacing."

I have had quite a number of West End constituents ask about what improvements are planned to bus ticketing - for example, making purchasing bus passes easier and more flexible, in the way the Oyster Card facility in London operates.

I contacted Lawrence Davie, Managing Director of National Express Dundee, about this and he has given me a helpful update :

"Following on from the successful introduction of the new electronic ticketing machines which now accept the smart concession cards NX DUNDEE is looking at introducing smartcard technology to replace its current season cards and multiple journey products.

Managing Director Lawrence Davie said that they had wanted to do this two years ago but had been delayed by problems with the technology for the concession cards. It is now hoped that smart cards will be rolled out later this year and be in use across Dundee within the next twelve months replacing all the other cards currently issued by the customer.

When this happens it will be possible to top up cards online and at points across the city. There will be many other benefits for the public.

The new cards are planned to operate in a similar way to London Oyster card.

The Company is hoping to be able to make a formal announcement with a timetable for introduction by the summer."

I have fed back this to constituents who have raised the matter, and I am pleased to see progress in this by National Express Dundee. Making it easy to purchase bus travel can only help increase public transport usage in the city, so it is to be warmly welcomed.

With thanks to Adam Findlay of Wave 102 who sent me information about a new House of Lords report released yesterday, having had the opportunity today to read this, it is good that it emphasises the need for greater clarity in the digital radio upgrade plan, and it also highlights public confusion and industry uncertainty, with calls for every new radio to contain FM and digital (DAB and DAB+). (See http://tinyurl.com/digitalradiolatest).

It also says the government needs to put in place a radio scrappage scheme for old FM radio sets and a fund to help poorer people make the switch.

The report by the House of Lords Communications Committee has warned there could be a danger of a major public reaction when the radio switchover policy is implemented.

It says :

"If the UK is to go ahead with digital switchover, there needs to be the utmost clarity as to what will happen, in order that the consumer and the industry can proceed with confidence.

If current plans for 2015 go ahead, between 50 and 100 million analogue radios will become largely redundant and around 20 million car radios will need a converter. "The Government should work with car manufacturers to ensure that digital car radios are fitted with multi-standard chips as soon as possible and inform consumers of availability and benefits of digital radios containing the multi-standard chip."

The warnings of the House of Lords Communications Committee should be heeded. I have already raised concerns at the government’s handling of the future of radio, particularly that, when radio follows television in moving to digital-only transmission (DAB) by around 2015, many people may lose out in receiving radio reception and many local stations may not be available on digital.

Many local radio stations – for example Wave 102 in Dundee – are not available on Digital Audio Broadcasting. Also, reception of DAB is limited and many people simply cannot get consistent DAB reception.

I am unsurprised at the comments by this House of Lords Committee. It is beyond me that the Westminster Government is moving forward with proposals to switch off FM radio by around 2015 when over 100 local stations still do not have a clear digital migration path and are likely to be consigned to an uncertain future on the analogue spectrum once digital switchover has occurred.

Monday, 29 March 2010

As reported in tonight's Evening Telegraph, I have said that the City Council has to listen to the concerns raised by Audit Scotland in its Best Value 2 (BV2) report just completed - and act upon these concerns quickly and decisively, particularly in relation to current unsatisfactory scrutiny arrangements.

Following previous criticism from auditors about the council’s ineffective scrutiny arrangements, the Scrutiny Committee was established, but its terms of reference are thoroughly inadequate and this had been made clear to the SNP administration by myself and other opposition councillors at the time of the committee’s establishment. However, the SNP failed to take heed of these concerns and had created a Scrutiny Committee that is a bit of a "toothless wonder".

It is no wonder that Audit Scotland has again called for improvement to scrutiny arrangements and it is about time there is a proper and lasting improvement in scrutiny arrangements so that the decisions of the council and its performance in delivering services are properly scrutinised.

So what's wong with the current Scrutiny Committee? Its terms of reference are too limited – particularly the fact that it is not able to “call in” items for scrutiny and the fact that the major areas of inspection – examples being delivery of the housing service and child protection – are not part of the Scrutiny Committee’s remit at all makes the committee far too limited in its scope.

Taking these major reports only to the Policy and Resources Committee, where councillors’ contributions are each limited to 2 questions and 4 minutes of comment makes a nonsense of the concept of scrutiny and has resulted in most of the Scrutiny Committee’s time being spent on HMIE and Care Commission Reports with few areas requiring attention.

At the time the Scrutiny Committee was set up, I also suggested that there be a reduction in the number of committees with the merger of the Audit and Risk Management Sub-Committee and the Improvement and Efficiency Sub-Committee into the Scrutiny Committee. These committees have fairly similar remits and it is all overly cumbersome, top-heavy and bureaucratic. In the current financial climate, the council should be streamlining and should be striving for efficiency.

At the time, the SNP did not listen, but in light of the BV2 report, the time for a radical improvement to scrutiny is needed.

David Dorward, the Council’s Chief Executive, has advised me that he is now undertaking an review of the operation of the scrutiny function and that a report would be placed in the near future before the Policy & Resources Committee. It is vital that all sides of opinion on the council are given the opportunity to feed their views in before such a report is finalised, otherwise the criticisms of inadequate scrutiny will not be properly addressed.

I have suggested to the Chief Executive that elected members be given the opportunity to speak with the auditors about the findings of BV2 and the Chief Executive has indicated that “the Accounts Commission offered to hold a meeting with leading elected members and senior officials to discuss the report and the Accounts Commission’s findings. It was agreed that this meeting will take place in May/early June.” This is to be welcomed.

This afternoon I held two surgeries at the Mitchell Street Centre and Harris Academy - but my Thursday surgery at Blackness Primary School will not take place, as the school Easter Holidays start with the end of the school day on Thursday.

Surgeries start again on Monday 19th April with the end of the school holidays, but I can in the meantime be contacted at any time at esurgery@frasermacpherson.org.uk or on Dundee 459378.

I recently mentioned concerns about the discoloured water supply that occurred during part of last week in part of the West End, including Abbotsford Place - the matter was covered in today's "Courier" including my comments about the issue.

I have now had the following feedback from the Regional Community Manager at Scottish Water, to whom I have given residents' feedback :

"I understand there were operational problems with a service reservoir supplying the Logie area of Dundee. This issue was resolved on Thursday however as the supply returned to normal, it stirred up the sediment that is normally present in the main.

I appreciate the obvious inconvenience caused to customers and during such incidents we advise customers to run their kitchen tap for a couple of minutes until the water runs clear."

Saturday, 27 March 2010

I have expressed concern that householders in part of the West End suffered a poor quality water supply for three days towards the end of last week. The area concerned included Abbotsford Place where many of the properties are sheltered housing for elderly people.

I received concerns from residents in the area that water in their kitchens and bathrooms was running discoloured brown for three days and I have contacted Scottish Water’s Community Manager about this as I am anxious to ensure that the problem is permanently resolved.

I've been assisting John Barnett's campaign for the Dundee West Westminster seat again today - here's John pictured (below) along with Craig Duncan campaigning in Brackens in the constituency this afternoon. John's proving to be a dynamic and campaigning candidate and I'm pleased to accept his invitation to be his Election Agent for the forthcoming General Election.

Friday, 26 March 2010

I have been in a very wet Motherwell today with the "day job" but on return spoke with Clive Gillman, Director of Dundee Contemporary Arts, about a competition DCA recently ran that has raised my concerns and those of the other councillors who serve on the DCA Board. The matter is covered in tonight's Evening Telegraph, and I am pleased to say that Clive has assured me that such a competition will not be repeated in the future.

I had a letter in yesterday's Tele following a resident raising her concerns about the condition of the ground on the east side of Glenagnes Road - and the fallen boundary fencing. I have now received feedback from the City Council's Enforcement Officer as follows :

"I have visited the above site and would advise I shall write out to the owner and advise he tidy the site and make it secure."

Thursday, 25 March 2010

Good to see the coverage in today's Scotsman of the meeting we held earlier this week to progress a memorial to the victims of the 1879 Tay Rail Bridge Disaster. This follows on from yesterday's coverage in the Courier, and includes quotes from Stuart Morris of Balgonie and myself. You can read the article from the Scotsman at http://tinyurl.com/tay-scotsman.

Today, I attended the latest meeting of the West End Schools Projects Board (relative to the St Joseph's Primary School and Park Place Nursery and Primary Schools projects) and later tonight I chaired the latest Friends of Magdalen Green meeting.

Wednesday, 24 March 2010

With permission of Dundee WestFest, here's an interesting update on Oral History in the West End :

Are you from the West End?

Are you interested in the history of your local area?

Would you like to learn how to become a researcher yourself and help record the history of the West End for future generations?

Dundee University in partnership with Dundee WestFest are offering a free 8 week course which aims to equip West End residents with the skills required to create an Oral History archive for their local area.

Times: Mondays 2pm-4pmDates 26th April to 14th June 2010Venue: Tower Building, Dundee University

* I have, at the request of residents, raised street sweeping issues at Clovis Duveau Drive and Blackness Road and have received assurances from the Waste Management Department that these will be tackled.

* Following residents' complaints about graffiti at various locations, I have raised these with the City Council. The Waste Management Department assures me that mess like this in Marchfield Road (above) and graffiti in Scott Street will be cleaned off and I have also raised graffiti issues at Seafield Road. I have also been assured by the Leisure & Communities Department that the mess of graffiti on the west wall of the allotments at Magdalen Green will be attended to.

* The City Council has given me details of the updated footways priority list which envisages the following streets in the West End being brought up to adoptable standard in 2010/11 - Glamis Place, Glamis Terrace and Seymour Avenue. I have raised queries on behalf of residents about some other streets that I view as a priority given their poor condition. I am pleased to note that the upgrading of the footpath on the south side of Perth Road west of the former Lawrie's Nurseries is to commence in the near future.

“Britain needed a Budget that gave us honesty in spending and fairness in tax, we have got neither.

“Labour is in denial, while the Conservatives are talking tough to cover up that they only offer more of the same.

“The Chancellor is incapable of coming clean about where spending cuts will have to fall.

“Rather than being honest with people about what the Government can and cannot afford, the Chancellor would rather let others indiscriminately shave departmental budgets.

“By confirming the freeze in personal allowances the Government has ensured everyone will see a real increase in their income tax bill – when what people on low and middle incomes desperately need is an income tax cut.

“Rather than forcing the nationalised banks to lend to good British businesses they have chosen to create a feeble quango to arbitrate between bullying banks and their small business clients.

“It says something when the most substantive announcement the Government can come up with is a tax agreement with Belize, however welcome that may be.”

It was an excellent and productive meeting - we have formed a Memorial Fund committee that I have agreed to serve on and we are looking to establish a Friends of the Tay Rail Bridge Memorial group.

We are meeting again in May and welcome the participation of all interested. If you wish to knwo more, please call me on Dundee 459378 or e-mail taymemorial@frasermacpherson.org.uk - many thanks.

Earlier today, I attended a briefing on the review of community councils. I was pleased to learn that it is not envisaged altering the West End Community Council boundaries - something the community council will welcome.

Monday, 22 March 2010

A very busy few days - with the Liberal Democrats campaigning across the West End and the Dundee West constituency as a whole. Pictured above is John Barnett, Dundee West Liberal Democrat candidate, in Cleghorn Street yesterday.

I missed much of Sunday's campaigning as I have been in Belfast with the "day job" (photo below!) and returned just in time to attend my afternoon surgeries at the Mitchell Street Centre and Harris Academy, followed by City Council meetings tonight.

At tonight's Council's committees, I raised questions about the Bike Boost initiative as part of the Dundee Travel Active project, the review of 'out of hours' social work service, and welcomed the decision to give the job brokerage services contract to the Dundee Employment and Aftercare Project (DEAP). The handling of this matter by the Dundee Partnership and the SNP council administration has been unimpressive, the tendering process wasteful and unnecessary and - in terms of the future - I made the point that now is the time for all councillors in the city to get behind DEAP and the excellent work it does to secure job opportunities for Dundee people.

I also raised my concern at the expenditure of nearly £80 000 to change the car parking and access at the East District Housing Office - an office barely three years old. Why is the council spending such a large sum of rent-payers' money changing parking arrangements so soon after the project was completed? The SNP Housing Convener appeared disinterested in the matter and I have written to the Chief Executive of the City Council asking further questions about the concern. City Council tenants are entitled to know that their rent monies are being properly spent.

Friday, 19 March 2010

At the request of the University of Dundee's here's details of their new video competition!

"The University of Dundee is currently running a video competition, asking entrants to create a short video detailing the discoveries they have made in the city. If you would be able to mention this on your blog, we would be very grateful, as hopefully it would be of interest to your readers and would encourage more entries.

We're looking for videos covering any aspect of life in Dundee where there is a discovery worth sharing. This doesn't have to be anything groundbreaking, but something a prospective student might be interested in (and of course, we have prospective students of all ages and nationalities, so this can be interpreted in many different ways).

Anyone can enter (you don't need to be a student). We're happy to accept:

* Film* Animation* Photo montage

The only condition is that it must be short - we're looking for videos no more than 90 seconds long.

There are lots of prizes to be won, including cash prizes of up to £300, and the closing date is 30 April.

Arising out of the recent Tayside Police Community Surgeries, including one at Blackness Library, the local Police are now introducing Community Letter Boxes to allow the public to raise non-emergency issues and any suggestions they may have.

The library is the location for the one in the West End, although I have suggested to the Police that another at the Mitchell Street Centre would be a good additional location for the north of the West End Ward.

It will be followed by a discussion on how we can create a more resilient local economy and sustainable future in the face of climate change and depletion of fossil fuel resources. Starting at 18:30 Watch the trailer of this inspiring film:

With thanks to Sheena Wellington, here's the latest update from Friends of Wighton :

On Saturday 20th March, the Friends of Wighton are presenting a Cappuccino Concert in Dundee, performed by the well-known entertainer Tich Frier, from Edinburgh.

Held in the atmospheric Wighton Centre, upstairs in Dundee Central Library, the event starts at 10.30am with coffee and newspapers. The music will be start at 11 am and run for about an hour. Admission is £5.

Tich has been singing folk songs for over 40 years, and has shared stages with some of the greats of folk music and taken his passion for folksong half way round the world and back.

Known for his great voice, driving guitar and uncontrollable sense of humour, his repertoire is taken from the tradition as well as from some of the finest writers around, and is continually nourished by new songs from his own pen and often from sources not obviously "folkie".

His performances also feature his unique brand of frequently surreal tall stories.

I recently mentioned that Stagecoach Strathtay was giving consideration to my request, on behalf of residents, to extend the 69 bus service to cover Richmond Terrace and Richmond Court (see above).

This morning, I took part in a site visit with the bus company and a City Council officer to ascertain if the bus can safely turn to allow it to cover the area. Conclusion - no problem - it can.

The next step is to see how the additional 4 minutes needed in the timetable can be achieved. Stagecoach Strathtay will investigate this and I will update residents when I hear further.

I also participated in today's City Council Scrutiny Committee, at which Care Commission and HMIE inspection reports on educational establishments in the city were discussed.

This evening, I attended the latest meeting of the West End anti-graffiti group, where we progressed our graffiti removal initiative, planned for the last weekend of May. A really positive and productive meeting.

Lastly, it was with great sadness that I learned earlier today of the death of Ann Caird of Thomson Street. A former community councillor and active member of the West End community, Ann will be sadly missed.

Monday, 15 March 2010

Following concerns I have received about the "green man" time for pedestrians crossing Blackness Avenue from the library to Hawkhill, I have again raised the matter with the City Council.

I have received the following feedback from the City Development Department :

"The lights at Blackness Library have been modernised and are now of the 'Puffin' type.

The flashing green man appears for 4 seconds with buzzer sounding. It may appear to the pedestrian that it has stopped but traffic will not move until the far footway is reached and that sensor triggered. The inter-green period ie the period when vehicles are stopped is designed to be long enough to allow pedestrian to complete the crossing safely.

The new design of the green man showing on the nearside or demand side of the crossing is part of a design which prohibits the impatient driver from 'jumping' the red light as he cannot see the green man/red man signal."

Sunday, 14 March 2010

The Liberal Democrat campaign team was out in force over the weekend in the West End and across other parts of the Dundee West constituency.

The photo (above) is of John Barnett, LibDem candidate for Dundee West, pictured this afternoon campaigning in Dunmore Gardens in the West End.

John said, "I am really delighted at the really positive response the Liberal Democrats are getting right across Dundee West. Nick Clegg is leading the way in showing why fairness should be at the heart of government and politics. It is clear that this is a positive message that is being well-received on the doorsteps."

Today I've used my keynote speech to our Spring Conference in Birmingham to make that one very simple, very important point. Some days the papers say our party is doing a deal with Labour. Some days the Conservatives. But they can't predict the future. I can't predict the future.

Voters should give politicians their marching orders - not the other way around.

We've made it clear how our Party will change Britain.

Under the Liberal Democrats, no-one will pay tax on the first £10,000 they earn. That's the most fundamental change to the tax system for decades.

We will give every child the fair start they deserve, by reducing class sizes and increasing one to one tuition in our schools.

We'll rebalance the economy so that Britain is no longer just betting on things, but Britain starts building things again.

And we will build a clean, open, fair politics.

Things don't have to be the way they are. The coming election is a chance to get fairness and to get change.

Almost 1 in 4 voters chose the Liberal Democrats at the last election. If that increased to 1 in 3, we could lead the next government.

That is what we can achieve together. Thank you for all you are doing to bring it about.

Saturday, 13 March 2010

Last month, I proposed to the City Council that a neighbourhood recycling centre be provided at Mitchell Street/Lochee Road. The Council's Recycling Projects Officer responded positively and I am very pleased to note that it is now in situ.

I have a very simple message for you. We, the Liberal Democrats, were right about the financial crisis. We warned of the dangers and led the debate when the crisis came. And now we have a clear vision for the future of the British economy.

Now the public wants to know who can guide the country out of the present crisis. Who's going to deal with the broken, discredited banking system. Who's going to lead Britian out of the longest recession since the War. And who will deal with the unsustainable level of Government borrowing.

Today in my speech to Liberal Democrat Party Conference I set out the Liberal Democrat answers to these questions. You can read it here.

The challenges are enormous. We have to be frank with people about the difficulties ahead. We have to be fiscally responsible. But the Tories and their cronies want to create a financial panic to frighten people into voting for them on May 6th.

Only the Liberal Democrats have identified £15bn of savings to make from bloated bureaucracy and unaffordable commitments. We will identify our priorities and debate them publically. That's open, democratic and Liberal.

Only the Liberal Democrats will invest in jobs with a Green New Deal.

Only the Liberal Democrats will change our unfair tax system so that 3.6 million people will no longer pay any income tax at all. Pensioners will be £100 better off and the average person's income tax bill will be cut by £700.

People are desperate to see the back of this Labour Government. But they don't want the same old Tories. And make no mistake, the Tories are exactly the same.

Thank you for what you are doing in the Liberal Democrat campaign to change Britain for real.

Edward McMillan-Scott, MEP for Yorkshire and and the Humber and the longest-serving Conservative MEP in Europe, has today joined the Liberal Democrats. McMillan-Scott, a former leader of the Conservatives in the European Parliament, has a proud record of achievement in the European Parliament and has taken a sensible stance on the Tories' foolish decision to leave the European People's Party and align itself with politicians like Michal Kaminski, whose politics are, frankly, embarrassing.

The Tories have detached themselves from the sensible elements of Europe's Centre-Right, including the leaders of both France and Germany, and attached themselves to politicians with whom you would not wish to be associated.

McMillan-Scott said, "My reasons for joining the Liberal Democrats are that, in Nick Clegg, they have a leader who I like, admire and respect. They are internationalists, not nationalists. They are committed to politics based the values of fairness and change."

Ken Clarke apart, who is left in the Conservative Party, with a sensible and positive view about Europe?

Thursday, 11 March 2010

* This afternoon, after a useful meeting about improving liaison between the numerous West End community groups, I attended the latest meeting of the Best Value Review group on Child Protection Services in Dundee.

* This evening, after a busy surgery at Blackness Primary School, I attended the March meeting of the Community Spirit group which does great work for the people in the Cleghorn, Ancrum, Pentland and surrounding areas. There was an interesting update from Liz and Kay from Dundee WestFest, as well as a good discussion on various local issues.

I am dismayed at the BBC Trust's proposal in its Strategy Review to close BBC Radio 6 Music.To quote the BBC itself, the station "brings together the cutting edge music of today, the iconic and groundbreaking music of the past 40 years".

Radio 6 Music is distinctive and valuable, and offers a place for exciting new acts to be heard. It provides its listeners with content that no independent commercial broadcaster offers, and has helped artists like Florence + The Machine reach greater audiences. At 3.4 pence per listener hour, 6 Music is also good value for money. Closing 6 Music would generate a very modest saving, and it is not clear that this would be worth losing such a distinctive station.

The future of 6 Music is a decision for the BBC Trust to make after they have consulted with licence fee payers. Whatever decision is made, the Liberal Democrats are adamant that it must be in line with the BBC’s purpose: to make programmes that are distinctive, high quality, and of good value. I am unconvinced that shutting 6 Music would contribute to these goals.

There are two other aspects of the BBC Trust's proposals that concern me. Firstly, the proposal to close the Asian Network is difficult to understand as is the proposal about :

"... not offering any more localised services than the BBC already does – for example, new services for individual towns or cities."

Last night, I attended the March meeting of Harris Academy Parent Council - it was a very informative and interesting meeting - the main item for discussion being the parent survey results.

Both Jim Thewliss, Head Teacher, and I updated the Parent Council on the school rebuilding project. I am grateful to the Director of Education for giving me a progress report in advance of last night's meeting.

The department is meeting with the Scottish Futures Trust tomorrow regarding the project.

Wednesday, 10 March 2010

* Following residents' complaints about potholes at the junction of Riverside Place and Perth Road, I reported this to the City Council. I have now had feedback as follows :

"An order has been raised by the area inspector for the filling of a number of potholes at the Riverside Place/Perth Road junction and this will be done within the next 28 days."

* A resident pointed out to me that there is inadequate street signage for Hazel Avenue - signs are missing at the junction with Hazel Drive and there is only one, poor conditioned, one at the junction with Perth Road. I reported this to the City Development Department and have received the following response :

"The street name plates at Hazel Avenue referred to in your email below will be checked within the next two weeks.

It is unlikely that any replacement signs will be erected by the end of the financial year however those required will be attended to as soon as possible thereafter."

* I also received complaints about overgrown shrubbery protruding onto the pavement on the north side of Perth Road at its very western end, near to West Loan. The shrubbery is in the ownership of the land-owners, a manufacturing company, and the City Council will request that the foliage be trimmed.

I recently mentioned the excellent Photopolis on-line collection of historical Dundee photographs. With thanks to the City Council's Leisure & Communities Department, here's another fascinating West End one - the old Harris Academy in Park Place, that opened in 1885 but was replaced by the current Perth Road building in the 1930s :

As somebody who has a long involvement with the Labour Party, including editing the New Statesman magazine, I have been able to give a frank and honest appraisal of a decade and a half of New Labour. And in it I explain why I can no longer support them, and am instead turning to the Liberal Democrats. You can read a more condensed version in an article I wrote for the Guardian here.

Alongside one million other voters, I deserted Labour in 2005 in protest at Iraq in favour of the Liberal Democrats, the only party to oppose the war. My decision to back the LibDems in 2010 is based in a more fundamental appraisal of Labour’s record together with a positive assessment of the Liberal Democrats’ platform.

New Labour in office has had one all-consuming purpose: re-election. Since 1997, their every working day was based around the task of prolonging their term of office. It filled in the ideological hollow and justified ever-encroaching authoritarianism and a pandering to the right on criminal justice and other areas of social policy. In contrast, the Liberal Democrat analysis of the failures of the deregulated market has been consistently, and painfully, accurate. Nick Clegg’s tax reform plans, taking four million low paid workers out of tax altogether, are the most redistributive of any party. And the Liberal Democrat approach to criminal justice, human rights, foreign and social policy is close to mine.

People can only for so long be exhorted to hold their nose, to vote for a party they feel has let them down, simply because the alternative is worse. It is deeply damaging to politics to resort perpetually to the double negative. The Liberal Democrats offer a positive, radical and different vision. That is why they have my support.

Tuesday, 9 March 2010

Dundee LibDems are most grateful to Tavish Scott MSP, Leader of the Scottish Liberal Democrats, who today spent more time in the West End campaiging with John Barnett, Liberal Democrat Westminster candidate for Dundee West. John and Tavish are pictured above during an interview in Nethergate.

This evening, I met with the team leader of the Street Lighting Partnership and Blackness Road residents about changes to street lighting there (where the old SOX (Orange) lights have been changed to High Pressure Sodium SON lights) and although this should result in improved lighting, concerns from residents about the extent the lighting covers across the road to the opposite footpath. The Street Lighting Partnership will further investigate the matter and report back to me in due course.

I also attended tonight's West End Community Council meeting. There were excellent presentations on Discovery Credit Union and the Hannah's Highway project - it was a very constructive and participative meeting of the Community Council.

At the City Council meeting, the proposal to temporarily move the polling station for voters in the Tullideph area to Morven Terrace during renovation work on the Tullideph sheltered lounge (that I mention last week) was approved. I sought - and was given - assurances from the Chief Executive that the change of polling station would be well-publicised for residents in the area.

Yesterday, I also received an update from the Housing Department on the work currently taking place at the lounge in Tullideph Place :

"Following on from a Health and Safety Report and also an Accessibility Audit it was noted that there was some items at the complex which needed attention.

As well as items in these reports it was also noted that users of the facility were having great difficulty accessing the rear patio area and even falling so it was agreed that we should upgrade the access to this area. We are forming a decking area with easy access to the patio and seating area so the clients can use this area during the better weather.

The access to the front, which is on a slope, also proves difficult for some of the clients, particullarly anyone in a wheelchair. There is a door which is quite heavy and a wheelchair user had previously fallen from his chair whilst leaving the building. We are going to make level the access at the front of the building, make the threshold level and fit an automatic door.

The fire exit to the side of the building also needed upgrading as this did not allow anyone in a wheelchair to use this exit if needed so this is being upgraded.

We are also making one of the wc's fully accessible for a wheelchair user.

This work started on Thurs 11/02/10 and it was hoped to be finished by end of March 2010. However there has been a slight delay in the external works due to the extremely cold weather but the internal works will be completed and the complex opened again by the end of March 2010."

The building warrant to demolish the structure was granted back in October but there were delays in the owner/agent starting the demolition works. I am now pleased to note some progress, with works to demolish starting, albeit that progress is quite slow. See photograph above taken a couple of days ago - part of the building has been removed.

I am continuing to keep a close eye on the situation and liaise with planning officers about the matter. The whole community in the Benvie Road area will be pleased to see the removal of this building.

Two of the volunteers who ran the very successful sales last year are not able to assist this year and although the sales will be continuing, the Friends would be very grateful for any new volunteers to help - do please let them know - contact details in the notice below!

Sunday, 7 March 2010

Vince Cable was excellent on the Andrew Marr show this morning. This is him speaking a couple of days ago on a number of subjects including economic recovery, investing in green jobs and nuclear power :

Photopolis is a major photographic resource in Dundee City Council's ownership that I have, with the permission of the Leisure & Communities Department, featured photographs from in the past.

It consists of a significant selection of quality photographs from various collections in the Central Library and the City Archives that can be accessed via the City Council's website, allowing easy access to large numbers of historical photographs.

Give the history events taking place in June as part of WestFest 2010, it seemed an appropriate time to feature some of the superb West End photos on Photopolis. As a start, pictured below is Grosvenor Terrace - 307-313 Perth Road - and to quote Photopolis :

"The residents in 1889 included the principal of University College, William Peterson MA, LLD, William K. Bruce, a confectioner who worked for the famed Dundee firm, Keillor & Sons, and W. A. Brown, of whom nothing further is known.

No. 1 was the home of Alexander M. Grimond of the jute spinners J. & A. D. Grimond, of Bowbridge and Maxwelltown Works, with offices in King Street, and great uncles of the prominent Liberal politician, Jo Grimond."

Saturday, 6 March 2010

I am grateful to Scottish & Southern Energy for its very prompt attention to removing offensive graffiti on the electricity sub-station at Magdalen Green that I brought to its attention towards the end of this week, following residents' concerns.

I am also grateful to the City Council for cleaning off graffiti in parts of Taylor's Lane. I am also speaking with the Waste Management Department about getting further graffiti cleaned off flats elsewhere in the street.